1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to methods of improving data processing systems and in particular to methods for assuring continued access to a document by a particular user. Still more particularly the present invention relates to methods for permitting a user to retain access to a document which has been deleted from a data processing system by the owner thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is common within known data processing systems to group a plurality of data objects or documents within a library service so that these data objects may be utilized and/or temporarily removed by users within the system. As is typical in these known systems, the ability of a particular user to utilize or temporarily remove a particular data object is selectively defined by setting forth a level of authority which that user may enjoy with regard to a particular data object.
For example, a particular user may be authorized to read a particular document but not to copy or delete that document. However, in the case of each document within a data processing service, a particular user designated as the owner of that document, or a user given the highest level of authority with regard to that document, may specify that a particular document be deleted from the library service wherein that document is maintained.
This particular activity can create a problem in known data processing system environments in that a document owner or a user with sufficient authority may request that a document be detected and have the library service responsible for that document delete the document, regardless of whether the document is in use or temporarily removed from the library service by a second user. In the case of a document which has been temporarily removed, known library services will delete all references to that document and an error message will be generated upon an attempt by a second user to check the document back into the library service. Of course, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the deletion of a document by the document owner while the document is sin use by a second user will clearly have a negative impact on data integrity and perceived user-friendliness within the data processing system.
Therefore, it should be obvious that a need exists for a method whereby a user who is authorized to access a particular document may designate that document as a retained document so that it may continue to be accessed by that user despite an attempted deletion of that document by the owner thereof or an attempted revocation of the users' access authority for that document.